The Circuitry of a Dying Heart
by EveningCicada
Summary: In the final days before his energy reactor is completely depleted, Blues encounters the lost and young Duet. Upon returning her home he meets her older sister Cadence, who, as thanks, invites him in to rest. Staying long would disrupt his journey-he knows this, and tries his best to keep moving. But Cadence begins to show him things he never felt. And there is no going back.
1. The

**Prologue**

"Are you all right?" Blues knelt down to face the crying girl, curled up and homesick before him. "Are you lost?"

The young girl wiped her eyes and looked up at her mysterious hero. The tears began to flow again. "Th-They came," she hiccuped, "out of nowhere." She glanced at the remains of a few Mets, trashed and destroyed across the ground below. "I d-didn't see them..."

"It's okay," Blues coaxed. "They're gone now." He kicked away the scrap and noticed a scratch on the girl's arm. He took off his scarf and used it to wrap her injury.

"Y-You're not like them," she noted, sniffling. He shook his head.

"Where are your parents?" he asked her, tying a final knot around her cut.

"My sister lives that way," she answered, pointing far ahead of them. She must have wandered far from home; Blues had to enable 200% optical zoom to finally spot a small cabin at the crest of a hill. On its porch an older girl paced nervously, probably looking for the child he just rescued.

"I see it," said Blues, reverting back to normal vision. "I'll take you there," he offered, walking a few steps ahead of her. "Let's go."

"No!" she shouted, obviously displeased with the idea. "I'm running away!"

He turned to face her. "You'e running away?" he repeated, and she nodded. "Why?"

"'Cause my sister's a meanie," she justified, crossing her arms and glaring at him with her caramel eyes. Her cheeks were still red from sobbing. "So I left."

Blues chuckled. "Sounds like someone I know." He held out his hand. "But she's probably worried about you," he said, "so maybe you should just visit her."

"No," she said again, sitting down on the grass. Her white dress was fraying at the ends, splotched green and brown with grass and dirt stains. Blues was losing his patience; he had no idea how to reason with a six-year-old.

"Fine," he sighed, out of ideas. He did already offer to help her, after all. He began walking away.

"Wait!" said the girl, scrambling to her feet. "You're gonna leave me here?"

"I thought you were running away?" he told her, not turning around. "To be on your own."

"I-I don't wanna be on my own," she stammered, trying to catch up with him. "Maybe you could stay with me, mister?"

Blues looked at her. "Sorry, but I've got to keep moving."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to tell someone where her sister is," he said. "I think you can help with that."

She grabbed his metal hand with both of her own, trying to yank him back. "Please don't!" she begged. "I hate her!"

He pulled his hand away, his pace quickening. "You shouldn't hate your sister," he said sternly. "It isn't good to hate family." For a split second he was reminded of his own, and he pushed the thought away. Not here. Not now.

"Besides," he added, "I saw some more robots on my way here. You don't want to run into those guys again."

The girl's eyes widened with fear. "M-more robots?" she parroted. "Mean robots?" Blues nodded.

"Think you can handle them on your own?" he asked.

She considered this, but ultimately admitted she could not. She stared at the scarf tied around her arm.

"So I'll just take you home now, okay?" he said, and finally she gave in. Together they walked the rest of the way home, saying little to each other. Despite what he'd said earlier, Blues didn't detect any other robots in the vicinity, and it wasn't hard to believe. There were hardly any people out here either. In fact, the cabin by the hill seemed to be the only house in the area. When they arrived, an older girl bolted toward them, sweeping up her sister in one swift move.

"Duet!" she cried, squeezing her tightly. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Let go of me!" Duet struggled to escape her grip. "I ran away because you're mean!"

"I assume she belongs to you," Blues noted, and the girl looked at him with awe.

"You're the one who found her?" she asked, setting Duet down. He nodded.

"She was hurt." He pointed to his scarf around her arm. "But she'll be okay. Keep an eye on her next time."

Duet tried to show her sister her cut, but she wasn't paying attention. "I _do_ keep an eye on her," she retorted, anger flaring behind her rich brown irises. "I'm doing my best to care for her. Not that that's any of your business."

"I brought her back to you," Blues countered, remaining calm. "You're welcome."

At those words the girl fell silent, guilt trickling into her eyes. "Oh gosh," she said, shaking her head. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" She cut herself off. "Thank you," she said genuinely. "Really. She does this all the time, and it's hard to keep up."

"It wasn't any trouble," he assured her.

"Why don't you come inside?" she suggested. "You could, uh..." She looked him up and down, and wasn't sure what she could offer a robot. She cleared her throat. "You could rest. I can wash your scarf for you."

Blues shook his head. "I don't stay in one place for very long."

"It won't be long," she told him. "I just want to properly repay you." She brushed some auburn hair from her face and hoped he'd comply.

When people were trying their best to be hospitable, it was always easier to let them be. "All right," he sighed with the impression that an hour or two couldn't hurt. "Thank you."

She smiled. "I'm Cadence," she introduced herself. She gestured to her sister, whose eyes stayed on Blues with fascination: "And this is Duet, whom you already know. What's your name?"

He looked at the two human girls carefully, wondering what would become of this. Hopefully nothing permanent—he was meant only for temporary things. And he was grateful for it.

"It's Blues," he told them.

There are beginnings everywhere, he knew. Many of them are born from endings. His travels began after the epilogue of his old life. Each place he visited, a part of him was reborn. This too was another small preface to something—he was certain of it.

He thought about this as Cadence waved him inside, as Duet forgot about her former anger and instead talked excitedly about how Blues had rescued her. Beginnings are everywhere.

And that was why he could not stay long.


	2. Greatest

**Chapter One**

"And then Mr. Blues shot his cannon thing and took down all the mean robots!" Duet recalled excitedly, standing on her chair at the kitchen table and re-enacting the scene. Her arm stuck out in front of her to imitate Blues's shooter, complete with sound effects. "Pew pew!"

Cadence chuckled embarrassedly, stopping what she was doing at the sink to remove her sister from the furniture. "Not at the table, Duet," she scolded lightly, smiling at Blues with sympathy. He was sitting in the chair opposite of her, tense with impatience. He wanted to leave. Cadence was being a warm host and was truly trying her hardest, but it wasn't enough to keep him.

Duet fixed herself in the seat normally this time, and Cadence went back to the counter. "Can I help you with anything?" Blues asked her, hoping his assistance would speed up the whole process.

"I'm fine," she answered cheerfully, wiping her hands on a dish towel and setting some utensils on the table. "You're free to rest on the couch inside," she added, "but I figured you'd like some company."

"I'm okay here," he told her honestly. Lying down would take up time, anyway.

"Can I try on your sunglasses, Mr. Blues?" Duet chimed. "They look really cool! Where'd you get 'em?"

"Sorry," apologized Cadence, setting down a platter of food on the table, "we don't get many visitors around here. She's just excited."

He shook his head. "No need for apologies," he said with the smallest of smiles. "She's got some energy, I see." In spite of her moxie, Duet blushed at his compliment, smiling goofily.

"Don't let her tire you out," Cadence warned, ruffling Duet's hair. "She has a tendency to do that sometimes."

"Nuh-uh!" denied her little sister, her dark brown curls bouncing as she shook her head. "Mr. Blues likes me! Probably more than he likes you!"

"It's just Blues," he corrected, holding up a hand. "No need for formalities."

Duet looked at him matter-of-factly. "Cadence says I have to be polite." She glared at her sister. "Or she'll get mean again."

"She thinks I'm evil," Cadence explained, shrugging. "Don't really know why." Before Duet could justify her sister's malevolent ways, Cadence took a seat at the small table and gathered some salad onto her plate. Mid-serving she looked at their robot guest apologetically.

"Is there, uh, anything I can get for you?" she asked awkwardly.

"I don't suppose you have an E Tank," he teased, certain she wouldn't know what that was. Instead she got up from her chair, much to his and Duet's surprise, and offered her signature smile. "Be right back," she said, and was off to another room. So she _did_ know. That was odd.

"What's an E Tank?" asked Duet, crinkling her nose.

He thought for a moment, trying to put it in a way she'd understand: "It's like apple juice for robots." At this she broke into a smile, her eyes glimmering in her delight.

"Ooh," she said, "I wanna try!"

"No, you don't," said Cadence suddenly, setting down the can in front of him. "Do you see Blues drinking _your _juice?" She smiled again at him, and he was pleased she didn't use _Mr._.

"No," sighed the defeated Duet, poking a fork at whatever it was her sister had prepared. His sensors read it was some sort of chicken. He took the can and cracked it open, releasing a satisfying fizz, and held it to lips. _All right_, he thought._ This is worth staying for, at least a little while._

"Does it taste okay?" Cadence asked between chews. "I had it in the storage room for a while. It's kind of old."

Blues set it down so not to chug the whole thing right away. It'd been a long time since he'd had an E Tank; even in the advanced cities they were hard to come by. So why did this girl have them here? Nonetheless, it was delicious, and he told her so. This time, with a smile eased with his passing impatience. If nothing else, it helped him relax.

Cadence beamed. "I'm glad. I didn't think they necessarily go stale, but I couldn't be sure."

"Thank you," he said, rubbing a finger along the metal trim. He looked up at her. "This helps a lot."

She nodded. After swallowing she said, "Your scarf's in the wash. I'll get it after dinner."

"Thanks again," he told her.

"Mr. Blues, do you want some chicken?" Duet offered, pushing her plate to him.

He smiled gently. "I'm good with the E Tank for now," he said, holding up the can. "But I appreciate it." Duet took her plate back and Cadence giggled softly.

"You're being so nice to our guest," she told her sister. "I'm proud of you." Duet smiled proudly and sat a little straighter, pleased that her hospitality had been noticed.

As the two finished their meal, Blues found himself looking carefully at Cadence. She had pulled her hair up in a twisted bun to cook, and a couple of auburn strands fell by her face, tickling her cheeks. Her eyes were rich swirls of dark chocolate and, like her sister's, they dazzled and sparked to life when she smiled. She was pleasant to look at, and something stirred inside him when she caught his eye. He quickly turned away and sipped the rest of his E Tank.

After dinner, Duet sped off to her room while Cadence cleared the table. Blues helped her by stacking the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink.

"You don't have to," she said to him, shaking her head. "I got it."

"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded. He took a breath. "I guess I should be going, then," he said slowly, and just as he said the words he heard the familiar _pit-pat_ of rain hitting the roof. They both looked up. Cadence shifted uncomfortably, massaging a dish towel in her hands.

"You don't have to travel in the rain," she told him. "Do you want to wait it out?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her, tossing the empty E Tank into the trash can. "Thanks for everything"—he swallowed—"Cadence, was it?"

She smiled tightly. "Yeah. Hold on, I have your scarf." Right then Duet came rushing in, a very familiar yellow cape flowing past her shoulders.

"Look at me!" she exclaimed, out of breath from giggling. "I look just like Mr. Blues!" Proto Man smiled bashfully, flattered he had an admirer.

"Look at you," he said softly, kneeling down to match her height. He took some of his scarf in his hands, rubbing it between his fingers. "You make a very fine Blues."

She laughed and pointed at his shooter. "I don't have anything that looks like that, though."

"Thank God," Cadence muttered.

Blues looked at his arm cannon. "You don't want anything like this," he told Duet, "believe me."

"But then I can't fight robots," she pointed out disappointedly.

He shook his head. "If you're lucky, you won't ever have to fight anything."

"Except your sister," Cadence quipped.

"_Especially_ your sister," he corrected. He stood back up and told Duet to keep the scarf.

"Really?" She beamed, but Cadence was ready to take it by force.

"No no," said Cadence, "it's yours. What is she going to do with it anyway?"

"More than you could!" Duet retaliated, sticking out her tongue.

Blues only nodded. "She can keep it. Plus yellow's a cute color on her." Behind him he heard Duet chuckle embarrassedly again, dizzy from his compliment. He looked to the ceiling. "That rain's not going away, is it? I better get moving."

Cadence opened her mouth to object but gave up, pressing her lips together. "Okay," she said with a nod. "I understand." Blues turned back around to Duet and patted her head; she opened her arms to a hug and he accepted. With a smirk she patted the lush curl of his brown hair in return.

"Nice meeting you," he said, intending it to be directed at both of them. Instead his eyes stayed on Cadence, who gave her tight smile again and responded, "Likewise." She looked in pain somehow; he preferred her other bright-eyed, dimpled grin much better.

"Protect your sister, okay?" he told Duet. She planted her hands on her hips and nodded. He chuckled as he headed for the door—that was another thing a robot could not experience. Youth. To be young and confident, imbedded with the belief that you are a superhero and can make the bad guys go away. But as adults, humans lost that sense of heart. _What a shame_, he thought. _Such a precious thing to lose._

"Wait!" said Cadence suddenly. Blues turned around, one foot on the porch outside. Some stray raindrops flew into the house, and a slight wind made the room run cold. He waited for her to say something else, and behind her Duet stared at her curiously.

"Never mind," she said quietly, talking to the floor. "I was thinking of something else." She went silent after that, and as curious as he was, Blues did not pursue.

The rain splattered against his visors as he left the small cabin behind. His oversized metal shoes dragged through the mud, and already he was hoping for someplace dry to spend the night. He walked as far as he could but, before settling down underneath a tree, made sure the light of the house was still visible. If one didn't know better, he'd think it a star, so distant and golden. But still it was there, and so was Cadence within its walls. Robots didn't dream, but he liked to think he dreamt of her that night—brushing the hair from her eyes, smiling and calling him Blues, without the _Mr._.


	3. Killer

**Chapter Two**

The next morning Cadence could not think. She poured coffee into Duet's teddy bear mug and apple juice into her own. It took half an hour to realize her robe was on inside out, and even then it was her six-year-old sister who pointed it out to her. Her knee jittered anxiously as she sat at the kitchen table, thumbing through yesterday's newspaper she didn't get the chance to read. The words seemed to blur together into an incomprehensible gray mess, so she soon gave up. Duet looked up from a coloring book and examined Cadence's pensive expression.

"Are you thinking about Mr. Blues?" she asked, and his name violently snapped Cadence back to reality.

"N-no," Cadence answered, shaking her head. "Something else." She sipped her coffee (which had to be transferred to the correct mug) and turned away from her sister's wide-eyed gaze. They were both quiet a moment, until Duet piped back up again.

"I think he liked you," she said, picking up a red crayon and shading in a flower. "Maybe even _like-liked_ you."

"Robots can't _like-like_ somebody," said Cadence. "You know that." They were advanced creations, but of course they were bound by their coding. A robot capable of human-like affection and desire would prove dangerous, so of course the concept would be scrapped. Humans didn't need any competition.

"Maybe he's a different kind of robot," countered Duet, not looking up. "A new one."

Cadence turned back to her sister. "Stop talking about him," she said more sharply than she'd intended. "We're not going to see Blues ever again." She caught sight of his scarf hanging loosely around Duet's shoulders and felt a tightening in her chest. "Did you sleep in that?" she asked more gently.

Duet stopped coloring and nodded, rubbing the end of the fabric between her fingers. She looked up at Cadence, who was fixated on the thing, frowning and chewing her lower lip.

"Here," Duet offered, handing her sister the yellow scarf. "Maybe you'll feel better."

Cadence smiled softly and accepted, holding the smooth cloth and gripping it tightly underneath the table. Despite the overreactions and tantrums that typically came with children, sometimes Duet knew exactly what her sister was feeling.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Blues slowly came back online, a little later than his usual wakeup setting. It took him a minute to remember where he was and where he had been, but he could just make out the cottage at the crook of the hill and recalled the events of the previous day. His hair was still damp from last night's rain, and a quick scan of the area suggested it had poured even more while he was sleeping. The tree must not have provided sufficient cover.

_Another day_, he thought, _to live as I wish. Another day to press on before I meet my inevitable fate._ He stood up and looked back at the house one last time, reminding himself that he had to keep moving. Dr. Light had given him "life," and life was not meant for standing still.

Or thinking about a girl.

He pushed Cadence out of his mind, pushed away her glistening dark eyes and the stray strands of hair against her cheeks. He threw away the pained smile she gave him when he was about to leave, the "Wait!" she shouted suddenly when he was halfway out the door.

Keep moving, keep moving, he repeated over and over. To press on and keep traveling was not something Blues usually had to force himself to do, but today it was different. He turned his back to the house in the distance and convinced himself it was the long, aimless trek ahead that made him regret leaving it behind.

The first couple of steps were the most difficult, but not for the reason he expected. Pain sensors spiked from his knees and elbows so that he had to sit back down. After a couple of system inspections (he found nothing unusual), he figured some of the overnight rain must have seeped into his joints and was causing problems. As much as he was eager to keep moving, he was forced to stay put for a little while. But when he couldn't sit still any longer, he set out for a town that he could gain some assistance from, namely in the form of a spare bottle of oil.

Blues limped a little over a mile until he came upon a small village. There were small, quiet houses with uneven lawns that sat separately from each other. Unfinished, crooked fences stuck up haphazardly from the ground with their splintery wood. There were only a couple of main roads, and few cars. Compared to what else he had seen, the town seemed incredibly backward. There were no prominent buildings or crowded streets. There were only a few people outside, sipping orange juice on their tiny front porches and reading the paper. Those who bothered to look up from what they were doing eyed Blues curiously, obviously unused to seeing an unaccompanied robot strolling through their town. He became uncomfortable asking for help, what with such frequent stares, but at the end of the town was a hardware store he figured was worth a shot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Duet ran off to her usual spot in the back room, Cadence took care of opening the store. She cleaned the windows, which, despite her constant cleaning, were always coated in dust or something else unpleasant. She replaced the receipt tape in the cash register as well as a lightbulb that had given up on its role. She was in the middle of transporting some half-empty boxes of tools to the shelf where she'd stock them, when the bell on the door chimed with the promise of a customer.

"Excuse me, uh," said someone from behind her, "do you have any oil?" Cadence set down the tower of boxes and turned around.

"We do," she said, nearly out of breath. "How much-" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who it was. Surely he was surprised too, despite his eyes not being visible behind the dark shades. His lips parted a little in his mild shock. Cadence was still for a second, convinced if she blinked often enough he'd vanish.

"Blues," she said quietly, the name suddenly weird in her mouth.

"Cadence," he said softly. He glanced at her dark green apron. "I didn't recognize you from behind. You work here?"

She nodded. "Everyday." She glanced around the store, from the wall of screwdrivers and hammers to the bins of locks and chains. Below the large window at the front sat neatly lined cans of paint. At the far end of the store hung other various tools and hardware accessories. The building seemed much smaller with its crowded inventory. The walls were bare wood and gave the place a rustic, country vibe, and it was almost always empty.

"You said you needed something?" said Cadence, turning back to Blues.

He nodded. "Just some oil. I think the rain might've gotten into my joints last night, and they could use some reconditioning."

"Oh, of course," she answered. "Let me get you a bottle. Take a seat." She gestured to a stool by the check-out counter and ran off to the storage room. As she opened the door, she nearly tripped over a crayon that had rolled away from Duet's coloring space in the corner. She was seated on a crate with a notebook balanced on her tiny knees, scribbling something.

"Duet," she sighed, picking up the green crayon and tossing it over to her, "please keep your stuff together. I don't want anyone dying over a crayon." She bent down and retrieved a bottle of oil from a storage cubby.

"Sorry," said Duet absentmindedly, focused on her drawing. "How many more hours?"

"We just got here," answered her sister as she made her way out of the room. "Hang in there, kiddo." She shut the door behind her and returned to Blues, placing the bottle on the counter.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "Um, I don't have much to pay you, but-"

"No charge," she interrupted with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it."

"What?" he said, surprised. "Won't your boss get angry?"

Cadence shrugged. "I can cover it. It's not that expensive." She looked at him, searching for signs of damage. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, taking the bottle and twisting off the cap. As he opened it Cadence reached under the counter and handed him a spout, which he accepted gratefully and attached to the opening.

"Is this place always this empty?" asked Blues.

"Pretty much," she replied, bringing over another stool and placing her elbows on the counter. She rested her chin in her palms. "Small town shops usually are."

He was applying oil to his knees when he admitted, "I didn't think you worked in a place like this."

She wasn't sure how to respond at first. "What do you mean?" she asked with a chuckle. "I like my job." Maybe that was a stretch. Perhaps the better answer was that she didn't mind her job. It put bread on the table and kept her busy, and that was all she expected.

"I don't know," he said, oiling his wrist. He looked up at her. "I thought you'd be in school or something." Cadence went white, her eyes frozen to the wooden counter. Blues caught her unusual expression and wondered if he said something wrong. He was about to ask if he hit a nerve when she snapped back to the conversation, smiling tightly.

"Well, it _is_ summer," she reminded him, although she didn't quite believe it herself. A flash of sadness darted across her eyes, and Blues wondered if he was seeing things.

"Oh yeah," he said, keeping careful watch on her expression. "Students are off now." But something still wasn't right. She picked at her nail and took a deep breath; her shoulders slowly rose and fell.

"I'm not in school," she concluded, her lips tired with the words she's said so many times before.

Blues forced himself not to think much of it, just flexed his wrists a couple of times before putting the cap back on the bottle. "I see," he said, trying to shake off his curiosity. He set down the almost-empty oil bottle. "I guess I owe you one," he added.

Cadence looked at the bottle for a moment as though she wasn't sure what it was. It took her a moment to remember how it got there, and what he was using it for. She chased her sudden melancholy away and looked up the robot before her.

"I said not to worry about it," she said of the oil. She pushed it towards him. "You can take the rest." The door to the storage room opened and shut, and out came a sleepy-eyed Duet, notebook tucked underneath her arm.

"Cadence," she mumbled tiredly, "I'm bored." Cadence turned to her sister, grateful for the distraction. She hopped off the stool and helped her sister on, telling her, "Look who's here."

Duet's eyes dazzled excitedly. "Mr. Blues!" she exclaimed, her mouth opening into a wide, surprised smile.

"It's just Blues," he told her again with a small grin.

Duet ignored him. "What are you doing here?" she asked instead.

Cadence gestured to the bottle of oil. "He needed—"

"—to say hello," Blues finished, looking over to Cadence, who was surprised by his sudden interruption, but smiled gently. Her eyes softened, and Blues felt heat rise in his cheeks.

"Wasn't that nice?" she said to Duet, who nodded excitedly.

"Where did you go after you left?" Duet asked. "Cadence said you were traveling."

Blues looked down. "Traveling," he mused. _Wandering_ would have been a better word, but Blues liked her original term. It sounded more promising. He looked back up at Duet, whose eyes were young and curious. "Yeah," he said finally, "I've been to many places."

"Can you name a few?" Cadence asked, pulling up another stool and taking a seat, showing interest in the conversation.

Blues swallowed. "Uh, Symphony City, Amethyst Falls," he recollected. "Peach Plateau, Cold Front Creek..."

"Wow," noted Cadence, impressed. "You really get around, don't you?" Blues only shrugged.

"And where do you come from?" asked Duet.

"Nowhere," came the automatic answer. But he realized this response was rather curt in this circumstance, so he elaborated, "I mean, uh, Mega City. That's where I was built."

Cadence stiffened. "Mega City..." she mused softly. Right then a customer walked in, the bell on the door sounding too sharp for this delicate train of thought. She looked up quickly, nearly jumping from her chair to assist the man who just entered. "Be right back," she excused herself quickly. "Um, hi," she said to the customer. "Can I help you?" He mentioned something about a toolbox while Duet and Blues were left alone.

Blues couldn't think of how to begin a conversation with her (or if he should at all), so for a minute they sat there quietly, awkwardly. "Um," he began, and Duet looked up. She didn't look like her sister at all—her hair was too dark, her eyes were too light. Only their smiles were the same. She was looking at him expectantly, so he went on: "Do you, uh, help your sister at work?" She was probably too young, of course, but perhaps she was capable of a few odd jobs—maybe refilling the pen jar or something.

"No," she answered simply. "She says I'll get her into trouble."

"Trouble?" Blues parroted.

"Her boss is mean," Duet clarified. "Cadence said he doesn't like kids. So I stay in the back room." She gestured behind her, pointing to a door. "Right there. See?"

Blues followed her hand and nodded. "Does it ever get lonely?" he asked gently.

"Lonely?" she repeated, as though it was a foreign word. She shook her head. "Not really." He noticed her notebook then, extending a finger. "What's that?" he asked. "I noticed you carrying it before."

Duet took the notebook and hugged it to her chest. "It's top-secret," she explained with a shy grin. "I can't show you."

Blues chuckled, amused by her innocence. What could she possibly have that was worth hiding? "Oh," he said, "I'm sorry. I'll respect your privacy." He glanced at Cadence as she walked past, catching her scent as it hung in the air. Cranberry hand soap, his sensors read. And something else, something he couldn't quite place.

Duet began talking again. "Do you ever get lonely, Mist—I mean, Blues?" she asked him, gazing at him with caramel eyes.

He shifted uncomfortably. "Me? Well..." He cleared his throat. "I guess everyone does, at least sometimes." He squinted behind his shades. "Why?"

She shrugged, looking up at her sister as she whizzed past again. She watched Blues as his eyes glued to Cadence once more.

"You know, Cadence is lonely too," Duet said suddenly, and something jumped within him when she mentioned her name. He realized Duet caught him staring, and the back of his neck grew hot; he prayed his thermostat wasn't malfunctioning. "But she was happy when you came over," she added. "Like she made a new friend."

"Uh," he stammered nervously, "I—"

"Duet," spoke Cadence suddenly, a brown toolbox in her hand. She set it on the counter while the man wrestled with his pocket for his wallet. "What are you telling Blues that you've made him so uncomfortable?"

"Nothing," said Duet as Blues told her, "I'm not uncomfortable."

"Your cheeks are as red as your shoes," Cadence remarked, punching something into the cash register.

"N-no they're not," he muttered, turning away. He sighed, hearing her chortle under her breath.

"Some haircut there, kid," spoke someone from beside him. He saw the customer eye his hairstyle critically, realizing he didn't mean it as a compliment. Blues nodded at him embarrassedly, too annoyed to say anything. The man collected his change and headed back out, and the store fell quiet again. Duet was the one to break the silence.

"Hey, since you're here, can you come over again?" she asked the robot, hope dancing behind her irises.

He glanced at Cadence, who looked at her sister with doubt. There were some grease stains on her apron, and it almost seemed as though it belonged to somebody else—it looked odd on her, the way it sat bulkily on her thin frame. Her soft features were too delicate for a place of hammers and nails. Some of her hair was hidden underneath a bandana, which tied crookedly just behind her ear. She was a mystery for sure, but Blues swore he never saw anybody so out of place in his life.

He remembered what Duet had said about her sister feeling lonely. In truth, his long travels were unbearably solitary, and if what she said was true, then he shared her understanding of feeling lonesome.

"All right," he said now, more to Cadence than to Duet. Cadence looked up when he answered, and for the split second her eyes locked onto his there was a sudden twinge in his chest. He felt a stuttering where his power generator lay (Dr. Light had sometimes called this his "heart") and he willed it to to be still—not here, not now.

"What," said Cadence with a smirk, "no more interesting places you'd rather head off to?"

"Well," countered Blues, tossing a small grin her way, "I did say I owed you one."


	4. Is

**Chapter Three**

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**Hi everyone! EveningCicada here. Time ran away from me again. I hope you are enjoying this story, even if it takes me an era to update it. You can expect an update at least once a month from now on. Life can get pretty busy, so don't fret if I don't post something for a while. I have all intentions to complete this story. Thanks for the follows/favorites, and I'd be grateful if you'd review too! :)**

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"You two live here by yourselves?" asked Blues. The sun was just about to sleep as they stepped into the cabin. Cadence flicked a switch and sent light across the room, illuminating the coffee table and couches of the living area.

She nodded. "My mom died a couple of years ago," she said softly, watching Duet race ahead of them and make a beeline for the sofa. "So Duet's in my care now. It's why I've been working so hard." She smiled sheepishly.

"O-oh," he stammered, caught off-guard. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."

She shrugged. "Don't apologize," she told him. "I'm okay now. Duet too." She walked to the small kitchen and motioned for Blues to follow. He pulled out a chair at the table while she placed a teapot on the stove.

"So, uh, how do you get to the hardware store?" asked Blues. "It's far from here."

Cadence nodded. "It's the entire next town over." She opened the cabinet and retrieved a mug, and a tea bag from the drawer below. "I walk. Had to sell the car after Mom died, and I didn't really want to move into the village."

"I can't really blame you," Blues muttered, remembering the town's underdevelopment.

"I love this house," she continued, "and I'll walk to work to keep it, even if it means dragging along with me a cranky sister." She adjusted something on the stove before turning to him, asking if he wanted an E Tank. When he answered affirmatively she left the room and returned with one, setting it on the table. He thanked her and she gave a fleeting smile.

"So, Duet," he began, cracking open the can. "She even comes with you to work?"

"Yup," she replied, taking a seat across from him. "She's a trooper. Well, that, and she has no choice."

"Well," he mused softly, "it's hard without a parent." He focused on the finished wood of the table and held his breath.

Cadence looked at him oddly. "Yeah, it is," she agreed, but wasn't sure he could feel quite what she had over the past two years. She knew he was just being polite, but didn't need someone to feel sympathy for her—a _robot_ at that. "But it's okay," she said again, a little less certainly this time. "Time heals everything."

"Does it," he said flatly, taking another sip. Time would not heal him, Blues knew. As each day passed he knew he was lucky to remain functioning. He ran away from his solution, turned his back to the man who would have healed him. And within that fold of betrayal he accepted he was unable to lead a long "life," deciding instead to spend his remaining days as he desired. But the threat of shutdown was ever-present, and in due time he would reach his end.

Cadence watched Blues deep in thought, wondering what he was contemplating. His face was pulled together in—pain, was it? His cheeks had color, she noticed, his hair was lush and full—he looked remarkably human, she was realizing now. His speech was well-developed and he spoke with thought; his movements were not mechanical but sensitive and fluid. He amazed her—every detail wanted her to believe he was not a machine, but a young man.

Blues caught her staring and she turned away, but not before noticing the splash of red that spotted his cheeks. He pressed his lips together and looked away also, seeming embarrassed.

_Fascinating_, thought Cadence. _He's even been designed with human awkwardness._

"Uh," he began, glancing around the kitchen. "You have a...nice home." The cabinets above the counter had little windows, where colorful bowls and glasses peeked through. A tangle of ivy hung from a flowerpot on the wall. Like the hardware store earlier, Cadence's home had a rustic feel—the walls and counters were a warm chestnut, and the room's small size made it cozy.

The teapot on the stove began to whistle, calling her to retrieve it and put together her tea. When she finished she sat across from Blues again, warming her hands around the mug.

"Thank you," she told him. "My mother decorated." She glanced around the room. "All the time, actually. We never had the same curtains twice."

He nodded, careful not to meet her eyes. He knew if he did, part of him would break. "Do you miss her?"

She sighed deeply, stretching her shoulders to her ears and dropping them back down. "Of course I do. And her curtains."

Blues looked to the window, which rested nakedly above the sink. "Is that why you haven't replaced them?" he asked.

Cadence craned her neck behind her to see. "Yeah," she said. "It felt weird at first, but even weirder having the same ones for so long." She shrugged. "So I took them down altogether."

They fell silent; from the living room mumbled the TV, a news anchor announcing rising stock prices. And then a sales pitch, and then the automated laughter of a sitcom. Blues leaned back in his seat, examining the rim of the E Tank—he still had no idea where she got it from.

"Your creator," she said suddenly, tugging at her tea bag. "Does he know where you are?"

He looked up at her. Why was she talking about this? He wanted to avoid any conversation featuring the life he had retired.

"No," he answered evenly, "he doesn't know anything."

"Really," she said gently. "Isn't he worried?"

"If you don't mind," he told her, suddenly distant, "I'd really rather not discuss it."

_What could have gone wrong?_ Cadence pondered. _Did I open a wound?_

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I didn't mean to upset you."

_To upset_. That was a human verb. Robots were not supposed to get upset.

"He didn't see everything through," Blue muttered, remembering his flawed energy reactor. "He made mistakes. Fatal mistakes."

The girl stiffened. "Mistakes?" she repeated. "Doesn't everyone? We're all hu—" She cut herself short. _Human_, she was about to say. _We're all human_. But that wasn't true. Not at all.

She wanted to ask what drove a wedge between him and his creator, but knew better than to pursue the issue. He'd talk if wanted to—after all, he'd already walked miles on his own accord.

"Is that why you ran away?" she asked instead, realizing only as the words left her mouth that it was probably just as bad an option.

"I didn't run away," Blues said quickly, the lie stinging his tongue. He looked up at her then; her softened gaze should have comforted him, but it only pierced his gut. Her eyes were sympathetic, almost sad—for a second he saw himself in her, a mirror of his pain. Something felt unusual in his stomach—an odd, fluttering feeling. He turned away from her and the fluttering eased. _We are not the same, _he repeated in his mind. _We are not the same._

"I don't want to talk about it," he said again, more quietly this time. "I'm sorry."

Before Cadence could say something, tiny feet pattered across the kitchen floor. "Blues!" Duet called. The robot turned around.

"Are you going to stay here tonight?" she asked. The light in her eyes was unmistakeable. For some hidden reason, it hurt to look at them.

He wasn't sure how to answer this. He glanced at Cadence, who also was looking at him in question.

"You can if you want to," she told him. "I don't mind."

Blues thought about his travels: _How often have I been invited to spend the night? _Not ever. Then again, he'd done his best to avoid other people as much as he could. And that had worked. He was good at being alone—he always had been.

He took a breath. "I don't think so," he said to Duet, trying to ignore the disappointment in her eyes. "I have to keep moving." The words were stale now; even he hated the sound of them.

"And go where?" Cadence asked him. Not merely a question—a challenge. Where was so important, and why was he in such a rush to get there?

"I'll know it when I find it," he countered. Their eyes locked—or at least Cadence thought they did. It was impossible to see anything beyond his dark shades.

"Have you ever thought," she said softly, "that maybe you're looking too hard?"

Her voice was so gentle and sincere it almost pained him. She reminded him of Dr. Light, who had always been just as compassionate. He shoved the feeling aside.

Duet broke apart his thoughts. "I can read you a bedtime story," she offered. He nearly forgot she was there.

Blues inhaled deeply, although he didn't need the oxygen. Dr. Light often sighed when he wasn't feeling well. But what was 'well' for a robot? _Can I be well although I am dying?_

"Sure," he gave in, "that sounds wonderful."

The two shared a couch in the living room. Duet splayed his scarf over his legs as a makeshift blanket, then balanced a book on her lap. She began reading a tale of a lost puppy. It was a child's story, accompanied by colorful illustrations on each page. The ending—of course—was a happy one. Humans couldn't bear unsatisfactory results. So after days of looking for Rover, the family was finally reunited. But he wan't listening very much—instead he was plagued with a burning question:_ Has Dr. Light been looking for me?_

His gaze floated to Cadence, who was sitting on the recliner across from them. Her eyelids had been heavy, and finally she closed them. Her hair fell in delicate tangles around her face. She was somewhere far from here, lost in her thoughts. Or maybe they were memories.

_What's that word the humans use—beautiful?_ Yes, that was it. _Beautiful and what else?_

Blues looked at her again. He wanted so badly to understand. But the two of them were such different things.

_Never. _That was the word._ Beautiful and never._


End file.
